Though we’re part of a world that’s so advanced and it seems there’s no end to these advancements, with so many innovations and upgrades happening constantly, it’s good to spend some time appreciating what we’ve got as easy as it might be to take things for granted. What would our planet be like if not for electricity? A dark one in the likes of many undoubtedly, relying only on the sun. It’s incredible to how great a scale electricity has improved our lives and opened the gate to many more technological developments that continue to this day. When the public was first introduced to electricity, there was more fear than amazement, but nowadays we think of it as an indispensable component of our day to day lives.
Considering it’s more than a necessity, it means most households worldwide, if not all, have their own share of electric energy consumption. As beneficial as it may seem, this also indicates the possibility of energy waste that stems from certain bad habits we have and bad choices we make when choosing appliances and electronics, ending up throwing away about 50% of the energy, with more than 80% of carbon footprint coming from large urban areas. This means we should all become more prudent about our habits, not leaving the TV on all night while asleep, not staring at the open fridge and making food decisions for hours, and give fluorescent lighting some thumbs up.
Unlike the well known and well spread incandescent bulbs, that use up a great amount of energy, lasting only up to 2000 hours, fluorescent lighting uses up to 70% less and lasts for up to 8000 hours. This kind of lighting can be found in two types: fluorescent tubes and CFL (compact fluorescent lamps). Though when they first appeared not many thought of opting for them instead of the incandescent due to the price difference, nowadays technology has upgraded making them more affordable for everyone. Some new models, such as the intelligent battens, even feature sensors detecting motions that are meant to give the user more control over the lighting, with the possibility of on-time delay, which results in more energy savings.
In the past this lighting option wasn’t exactly the preferred one when it comes to homes because of the slow warm-up and start-up and the occasional noise, but things have changed and models have become more home friendly thanks to fluorescent tube choices such as the slim-line T5 that start up instantly. Another ideal aspect is they come in a range of colours, both warm and cool, so they are suitable for every area of your home as they can provide the perfect lighting and have an impact on the ambiance. A word of caution is to be mindful and avoid breaking fluorescent tubes because they contain a small amount of mercury. If you do get to break them, make sure you ventilate the area immediately, wear disposable rubber gloves when sweeping them up and wrap them in paper before you dispose them in the bin.
